Dinner and a movie has gone upscale with the recent opening of the Silverspot Cinema at The Battery.
Located less than a home-run away from the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park Stadium, the 50,000-square-foot, two-story complex is the seventh Silverspot Cinema to open nationwide, but the first in Georgia.
Featuring 10 auditoriums with fully reclining seats and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, Silverspot is a moviegoers’ paradise. But in this boutique cinema, the silver screen shares top billing with the food.
Chef Nick Martorelli has assembled a restaurant-style menu catering specifically to the Georgia palate.
Credit: Angela Webb
Credit: Angela Webb
“For Atlanta, we actually went a little bit more aggressive,” says Martorelli. “You know, just a little bit of the Southern goodness. Like, we have three separate steaks on the menu, and we added the peaches even to some of our drinks. But we wanted to let this market know that we are serious about what we do. And we’re passionate about the food and hospitality side of things.”
The extensive menu runs the gamut from Asian dishes, including miso salmon or sushi rice cakes with seared shrimp, to American favorites like pizza or hamburgers, though served with a signature twist. For those with a sweet tooth, there’s also a choice of decadent desserts.
Finger food is available for those in need of just a snack, ranging from traditional wings to ahi tuna bites. But whatever the portion, it’s all created with comfort in mind.
“You can’t make something that is too fragrant,” says Martorelli. “You can’t make something that is too messy. You know, you’re not going to find a lot of long noodles or anything like that on the menu, as that has the potential of just making a mess. So all that is taken into consideration when dishes are created.”
Credit: Angela Webb
Credit: Angela Webb
The epicenter of the food operation is a restaurant-style kitchen, complete with steel counters and appliances, a discreetly placed popcorn maker, and waitstaff in crisp black uniforms.
Silverspot patrons can order food in advance, via an app or the company website, or in-person at the theater. Visitors have the option to dine in their seats, complete with waiter service for the first hour of the show, or in the large cocktail lounge, which has the ambiance of a trendy 5-star hotel bar.
“We’ve got an extensive wine list and beer list,” says Martorelli. “We’ve got 12 taps and about 14 other beer selections either in bottles or cans. Our wine list has 20-something different wines ranging anywhere from $120 down to $10 per glass. We also have about 15 signature cocktails, all chef-crafted.”
Silverspot’s goal is to offer an alternative to the average cinema experience. Auditoriums can be booked for private screenings. The most intimate of the theaters, known as The Spot, is available for parties, corporate events, weddings and other gatherings. The cinema also offers special event screenings, such as opera productions and concerts, as well as movies.
Venezuelan Gonzalo Ulivi is the managing partner of Silverspot. His family has been involved in the theater industry for 74 years. He came to the U.S. five years ago with a particular audience in mind.
Credit: Angela Webb
Credit: Angela Webb
“We had this idea that there was a need in the U.S. market to do something different than a multiplex. Really, the concept of a multiplex is to serve all demographics in one single location, with one offering and one product. We don’t have anything against the multiplex, but we knew there was an opportunity to do something on a niche scale for a very specific target.”
That ideal customer is slightly older and more affluent than a typical moviegoing audience. Though Silverspot will show some family movies, Gonzalo and his team have consciously designed a venue geared to a more adult clientele.
Credit: Angela Webb
Credit: Angela Webb
“So our target audience is all professional and college grads,” he says. “It’s a mature audience — 30-plus. The idea is to have a really cool place for you to come and be entertained, watch a story on the big screen, and enjoy delicious food and drink. So it’s like a complete night-out experience at a high-quality level. And there’s been an effort to be different and raise the bar for the whole industry.”
There’s no need to buy a movie ticket to hang out at the lounge bar, but the team at Silverspot is hoping that patrons will go for the total experience. And, tongue-in-cheek, Martorelli has even hinted at a friendly rivalry between the projection room and the kitchen.
“When people leave here, I want them to know that this is not just a movie theater. You know, I think success in my eyes will be when the whole bar is packed and food sales are going better than movie sales. You know, that’ll be a feather in my hat. Yeah. Make my bosses happy.”
Silverspot Cinema
960 Battery Ave., Suite 5000, Atlanta. silverspot.net/atlanta-ga.
